Method of forming a harness cord end terminal



sept l, 1959 R. B. HAYDEN f 2,901,822

METHOD OF FORMING A HARNESS CORD END TERMINAL Filed Deo. 15, 1955 INVENTOR. ROBERT B. HAYDEN BY 52724/ 6%/ '/a/ ym www e or connector .element .of the .secured ltothe cord;

:terminal .completed in .one

United States Patente@ `METHOD F FORMING A rHARNESS :CORD END TERMINAL `Robert B. Hayden, Newtonville, Mass. Application December 1S, 1955, Serial No. .555,214 v1 Claim. (Cl. 29-5'17') This invention relates ;to :harness cords for looms, and more particularly to a method of forming a terminal for anchoring one end ofthe harness ,cord to .the loom frame.

The principal object of this invention is .to provide a harness cord having a terminal which is -not only of simple construction and inexpensive to make, but which is also so firmly anchored tothe cord that vit cannot loosen under repeated use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a harness ycord connector which is adapted to be brought into direct engagement with the metal cable core of the cord in such a manner that the metalof the connector is caused to llow around ythe individual strands of the core.

A17/further object is to provide a harness ,cord having a terminal .at vrone .end comprising a connector or ferrule having .an yeyebolt .or hook, lthe shank of the eyebolt or hook .being .so secured .within the connector that `it can .not .loosen .under .repeated use.

Another .object is `to provide a connector for harness cords manufacturedfrom vsolid rod stock `having -a `irst bore :to .receive theend ofthecord, a second fbore to receive the .core ofthe cord, `-and a third bore to vreceive the shank of an eyebolt or hook, the second bore beling fof progressivelydecreasing cross section sothat the `core of ;thecord.may be held lunder a compression which gradually increases inthe direction of `saidthird bore.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of rthis invention willbereadily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by :reference .to the -following .detailed description when .considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is an enlarged elevation showing the ,end of a .harness .cord lpreparatory to Ybeing provided with the'im- `proved terminal of :the present invention;

vEig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the fertelminal .prior to ,being Fig. 3 is an enlarged .longitudinal section showing the end of thetcordfof Fig. 1 secured to the connector of Eig. ..4 lis an ,enlarged .elevation .of van eyebolt .to be added -.to the assembly ofrFig. 3; Fig. 5 ,is an enlarged longitudinalsection showing the completed terminal;

Fig. .6 is a longitudinal section through a modified form of the connector element;

Fig. 7 is anenlarged side elevation of a modiiied form of eyebolt; and

Pig. 8 is a longitudinal section of a completedterminal embodying the modified connector .element and eyebolt of Figs. -6and 7 respectively;

IFig. 9 .is an .enlarged longitudinal .section showing the operation.

Referringtnowto Fig. l, rthere is shown theend of .a conventional harness or dobby cord which includes .a braided external sheath 2 o-f organic material, e.g., textile fibres,

surrounding ,a steel wire ,or .cable core 4. The

:sheath .is strippedat `the end to expose V:the

Patented Sept. 1, 1959 present invention.

According to the preferred form of the invention the harness cord is rst provided with ,a ferruleor connector 6 shaped as indicated in Fig. 2. vFerrulefGf-is ,nnanufacturedfromconventional solid rod stock andwisfprovided with three bores A8, 10 and '12 `respectively. ,"In .prac- .tice I prefer to use aharness `cord Y.whose sheath an outside diameter of approximately .219 and whose core 4 has an outside .diameter of about .'063". "For a cord of .the foregoing dimensions I shave .found rth'at'ka most suitable ferrule :or connector can be manufactured from asection of 1rod stock `measuring lwin length and 'G Vin diameter. llores-8 and 10 are'forme'cl vin the .rod stock to accommodate the sheathfand core portions-respectively .of thecord. For va cord of .therabove vdimensions it has been ,found that bore 8 `should measure about ..261 and should .extend through .a distance .of .about *.AG". Bore 10 extends through .a .distance ofabout 1/2 fand has a constant diameter .ofabout .076 for about :one-half of its length extending .away :from 'bore l2 toward bore 8. The left hand .half .of vbore ylll tapers 4to/about .'14'6 or double the diameterof the right handfhalf. The left end .of .bore 10 .is reamed Aas at `16topresent ars-month bell-mouth surface Yto :the wire core. :Bore' 12 :has initial diameter of about 1667, sufliciently'zlarge .to :accommodate the stem .or-shank k18 of eyebolt .'20 yevenrafter ythe cord has beenanchored in :the `fe1'ru`le, as explained hereinafter.

In assemblingithe terminal `the :cord .is inserted .1in the ferrule as vshown Fig. '3. Thereafter the ferrule Vis placed in a conventional rotary swaging machine 'orza hammering machine, as preferred,'which reduces .the diamlit is preferred to reduce the `exterioriliameter of .the ferrule vby;about .031. ,The dash'lines 2.2 in'FigfB represent the original .diameter :and length :of the `fferrule tbefore ,swaging .or hammering roperation. f

During the swaging or `hammeringoperation the metal of .the ferrule iscaused .to :ow into v:intimate and #close contact .withtthellaments of fthecoreiexcept forasmall sectionadjacent '.the Aend of .fthe fsheath correspondingfto :the maximum taper-reamedareaof bore 1.0. lDue to lthe fact that :the left hand I.half .of '.bore. 10 originally lhada varying diameter and the ferrule 'was subjected f'to auni- :form `deformation throughout its length, :the .compression to whichcoreo'fzthecable is subjected .increases gradually in .the direction .of bore '12 for about half the :length .of bore 10. The .compression is substantially constant for the .right hand half `of bore 10. Since `the contactb'etween the ferrule and the core of thecable .decreases progressively in thedirection of bore 8, there is no .harmful pinching of the core adjacent the'end 114 of sheath 2 andthe work load is spread gradually .over the compressed core. 'The reduction in diameter of 'the ferrule is suicient to b1-ing the wall of bore 8 into tight lengagement with the sheath, although .the reduction in .diameter of the sheath is' barely perceptible to the naked eye. l

After the cord has been secured to the ferrule, the shank 18 of .an eyebolt 20 is inserted in bore V1.2. The length 'of .shank 18 of the .eyebolt 20 and also of shank 42 of eyebolt 44, is exaggeratedin the drawings to 'better illustrate `the shape ofthe end .of the eyebolt. ln practice the Yshank is relatively .short so that the looped tendof the -eyebolt Will-bepositioned close tothe end `of the'fferrule when the .eyebolt istattadhed thereto.

Preferably shank 20 measures .about .130", slightly smaller than -bore 12 after it has been reduced in size.

A couple of small indents 24 measuring about %2" Wide and .015" deep are provided in shank 20 as a means to lock the ferrule with the eyebolt. Once the eyebolt has been inserted, the assembly is placed in a punch press which 'crimps the ends of the ferrule, as shown at 26 and 28. This causes the left hand end of the ferrule to make a very tight engagement With the sheath and causes the right hand end to make firm engagement with the eyebolt.

Due to the fact that the eyebolt extends within the ferrule and is in direct engagement with it, the eyebolt will not pull out under repeated and continuous use. This direct metal to metal engagement is responsible for the great strength of the connection between the eyebolt and ferrule.

With respect to said preferred form of the invention,

Ait is to be understood that bore 10 may be ot varying `diameter throughout its entire length insteadv of only half without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. In this form of the invention a ferrule 30 is provided having three bores 32, 34 and 36 as in the preferred embodiment. However, in the modified embodiment the central bore 34 is of substantially the same diameter throughout its length except `for a short section 38 adjacent bofre 32 which is reamed as shown to provide a smooth bell-mouth surface to the Wire core. The diameter of bore 34 is substantially the same as the diameter of the right half of bore 10 illustrated in Fig. 2. Bore 36 is slightly larger than bore 12 of the preferred embodiment in order to accommodate the enlarged shoulder 40 of the shank 42 of an eyebolt 44. Eyebolt 44 diifers from eyebolt 20 only in the shape of the end of its shank. It is to be understood that eyebolt 44 may be provided with a pair of outwardly extending protuberances in place of continuing shoulder 40, lthereby to provide greater assurance against rotation of the shank relative to the fer-rule.

In assembling the modified form of the invention, the end of the harness cord is inserted into the left hand end of ferrule 30. Thereafter the ferrule is inserted intoa swaging machine having tapered dies so as to cause the right hand end of the ferrule to -be subjected to a greater compression than the left hand end of the ferrule.

In Fig. 8 the dash lines 48 indicate the original diameter of the ferrule before swaging. In this latter embodiment the core of the cord, due to the fact that the swaging has been accomplished by tapered dies, is subjected to a gradually increasing compression in the direction of bore 36. Only a minor portion of the core adjacent the end of the sheath remains out of engagement with the ferrule.

After the cord has been secured to the ferrule, the eyebolt 44 is inserted in bore 36. Thereafter the assembly is placed in a punch press and crimped as at 50 and 52 to place the ferrule in firm engagement with the cord and the shank of the eyebolt. The direct metal to metal engagement between the ferrule and the eyebolt provides a connection so secure that the eyebolt will not pull out of the ferrule during repeated use. The embodiment of Fig. may also be made in one operation as explained hereinafter in connection with Fig. 9. This method of assembling the terminal has the advantage of eliminating the punch press operation previously described to crimp the ends of the ferrule. In this case cord 2 is inserted in the left hand end of ferrule 6, shank 13 of the eyebolt is inserted in the right hand end of the ferrule, and the resultant loose assembly is placed in an open die rotary swager or a hammering machine. By means of the swager or hammering machine the diameter of the ferrule is reduced uniformly, except at 26a Where the ferrule is reduced to a greater extent in a taper so as to engage the sheath very tightly. As before the metal of the ferrule is caused to oW into the interstices of the Wire core. The metal also flows into and fills indents 24, making a solid engagement with shank 18 of the eyebolt 20. The dashed lines 22a represent the original diameter and length of the ferrule prior to being reduced in the swager or hammering machine. It is to be understood that the terminal of Fig. 8 may be assembled and shaped in a single operation in the same manner. Thus, cord 2 and shank 42 of eyebolt 44 are inserted in the left and right hand ends respectively of ferrule 30, and the resultant assembly is placed in an open die rotary swager or a hammering machine and reduced variably so as to subject the core to a gradually increasing compression in the direction of bore 36. The ferrule will be tapered as shown when the reduction is completed. The rotary swager or hammering machine will simultaneously effect greater reduction at the ends of the ferrule so that the ferrule will be compressed tightly about the sheath and eyebolt as at Sil and S2 in Fig. 8.

It is to be understood that although the embodiment of Figs. 5, 8 and 9 have been described as embodying a cord, ferrule and eyebolt of speciic sizes, the dimensions thereof may be varied according to the speciic requirements without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is also to be understood that the loop of the eyebolt may be open so as to form an open hook and that the term eyebolt as used in the claim is to be construed as including the latter form of loop. l Harness cords having terminals constructed according to the present invention are exceptionally strong and have the advantages of being simple to construct and cheap to manufacture. In practice neither eyebolt nor Wire core will break or pull out of the ferrule. Failure of the harness cord therefore will be due ultimately to Wearing out of the sheath over pulley. Because the invention can be carried out by means of a rotary swaging machine, as Well as a conventional hammering machine, the harness cords may be assembled very rapidly and with substantial standardization of quality. The ferrule, being manufactured from rod stock rather than sheet material as has been previously accomplished, provides good strength and permits the manufacture of harness cord terminals that are small and compact.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts specilically described or illustrated, and that wit 'n the scope of the appended claim it may be practised otherwise than as speciiically described or illustrated.

I claim:

The method of forming an end terminal for a harness cord comprising the steps of providing a solid metal rod of circular cross-section, making a rst axially-extending bore of circular cross-section in said rod at one end thereof, making a second circular tapered bore in said rod continuous with said irst bore, making a third axial bore in the opposite end of said rod of larger diameter than said second bore, providing a harness cord comprising a exible Wire core encased in a sheath of organic material, removing some of the sheath from one end of the cord to lay bare the end portion of said wire core, inserting said end of the cord into said rod so that the bare end of the core resides in said second bore and the end of the sheath resides in said iirst bore, impacting said rod uniformly about its circumference to make a tight connection with the bare end of said core substantially throughout the entire length of said bare end, providing an eyebolt for securing said harness cord to a loom, inserting the stem of said eyebolt into said third bore, and crimping said rod in the region of said third bore to place it in tight iixed engagement with said stem.

(References on following page) 5 References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,099,950 Whitehead NOV. 23, 1937 2,226,849

2,255,991 Taylor Sept. 16, 1941 Douglas Dec. 3,1, 1940 5 

